Expert Reviews and News on Laptops, Smartphones and Tech Innovations

HydroBuckler in action (Image source: the researchers)

New technique lets robots walk on water using heat-powered motions

Drawing inspiration from water-strider insects, researchers at the University of Virginia have developed a novel fabrication method that lets tiny robots form directly on water surfaces and move using heat-powered motions.

Chibuike Okpara, 28 Sep 2025 12:11

Sodium-ion batteries are set to move from microcars like the E10X to mass market EVs. (Image source: JAC)

Sodium-ion batteries set to go mainstream as they hit LFP price and energy density parity

After the world's largest battery maker managed to craft a sodium-ion battery with high energy density ready for mass production, the future of the technology looks bright. Sodium-ion batteries are slated to proliferate as soon as...

Daniel Zlatev, 28 Sep 2025 11:58

The Evolve MVMT (pictured) is designed to be worn on the ankle. (Image source: Evolve)

Evolve's new fitness wearable reaches funding target in just 4 minutes, featuring real-time shock absorption tracking

Evolve MVMT, a new ankle-worn fitness wearable, hit its Kickstarter goal in merely 4 minutes. The MVMT comes with real-time shock absorption, fatigue, and performance tracking for runners.

Anubhav Sharma, 28 Sep 2025 11:55

Image from the game Silent Hill f on Steam. (Image source: Steam)

Silent Hill f: A free mod completely transforms the game

Although Silent Hill f was released on September 25, several mods already exist for this game. And this is particularly true of this one, which completely transforms the game's universe.

Alexis Stegmann, 28 Sep 2025 11:29

The Samsung Galaxy A17 5G comes with a number of features that you might not expect in this price range.

Affordable smartphones: Samsung demonstrates what is possible

Even for under $200, you can now get smartphones that offer enough performance and features for everyday use. We take a closer look at the Samsung Galaxy A17 5G and show you what it can do—and what it can't.

Florian Schmitt, 28 Sep 2025 11:03

The Casio Pro Trek PRJ-B001B-1 (pictured) uses a paracord-style band. (Image source: Casio)

New Casio Pro Trek PRJ-B001B-1 watch goes on sale with rotary guard bezel and Tough Solar

Casio's PRJ-B001B-1 has officially launched with a rotary guard bezel, solar power, Bluetooth syncing, 10-bar water resistance, and a paracord-style band. Case: 50.3 × 46 × 13.6 mm, weight: 37 g. It's priced at ¥25,300 (~$169). ...

Anubhav Sharma, 28 Sep 2025 10:30

This $349 16 GB AI workstation card runs Cyberpunk 2077 at 85 FPS with just 50 W power draw

Intel’s Arc Pro B50 is sold as a workstation GPU, but recent testing explores how it performs in gaming and AI tasks. With its compact design, low power draw, and 16 GB of VRAM, the Intel Arc Pro B50 may hold more potential than e...

Anmol Dubey, 28 Sep 2025 09:07

The Magic 8 series is set to launch in October 2025. Pictured: the back of the non-Pro phone. (Image source: Honor)

Honor Magic 8 edges past Xiaomi 17 Pro in early Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 benchmarks

Ahead of the release, the AnTuTu benchmark result from the Honor Magic 8 has surfaced. As shown in the screenshot reshared by the product manager, the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 flagship has managed to get a higher overall score tha...

Abid Ahsan Shanto, 28 Sep 2025 08:50

The Abxylute One Pro is an Android-powered handheld for cloud gaming, remote streaming, and local gaming. (Image source: Abxylute)

New update brings Nvidia GeForce Now app to the Abxylute One Pro

A new software update has been released for the Abxylute One Pro handheld gaming device. The changelog mentions it brings the Nvidia GeForce app alongside fixes and security updates.

Habeeb Onawole, 28 Sep 2025 07:53

The Apollo A6000 is an Amiga-compatible computer with updated hardware for faster performance. (Image source: Apollo Computer)

Apollo Computer announces sale date for the second batch of Apollo A6000 Amiga-compatible computers

Apollo Computer will release a second batch of Apollo A6000 Amiga-compatible systems on October 13. An additional twenty units will be sold at the Amiga 40 event in Germany. The all-in-one computer is modeled after the original Am...

David Chien, 28 Sep 2025 06:43

A picture of the 2020 Calwood Fire (Image source: Malachi Brooks via Unsplash)

HydroFlame: New online tool to prevent the disastrous aftermath of wildfires

NASA is supporting the development of an online tool called HydroFlame. The tool is designed to help predict mudslides, flash flooding, and contaminated water supplies — possible effects of wildfires.

Chibuike Okpara, 28 Sep 2025 06:01

A screengrab of Baldur's Gate 3 on PC (image source: Steam Community)

Baldur's Gate 3: Despite over 15 million copies sold, only 23% of players actually played it to completion

Baldur's Gate 3's impressive showing as a title in both commercial and critical terms may not be completely reflected in player game completion rates, with only 23.4% of buyers actually finishing the game without accounting for re...

Rahim Amir Noorali, 28 Sep 2025 05:02

A screengrab from Silent Hill f on PC (image source: Steam Community)

Deal | Silent Hill f is already 25% off US MSRP less than a week after launch thanks to a UK-based retailer

PC Gamers still considering hopping on Silent Hill f's bandwagon can benefit from an impressive 25% discount for a Steam key, an offer that has been available to users since preorders kick in.

Rahim Amir Noorali, 28 Sep 2025 04:27

A screengrab from Hades II on PC (image source: Steam Community)

Supergiant Games director says Hades 3 isn't a sure thing despite the success of Hades 2

Supergiant Games’ Studio Director Amir Rao said that Hades 3 is not "preordained" for the developer, even as Hades 2 continues to rack up multiple commercial and critical wins in the background.

Rahim Amir Noorali, 28 Sep 2025 04:04

A limited edition Steam Deck OLED (Image source: Valve; edited)

Deal | Over $180 worth of Steam Deck-compatible indie games drop to $20 on Humble Bundle

The latest Humble Deal — Stories From Latin America — is here with 10 games and 1 game coupon in tow. This bundle is packed with indie games and all the games have Latin American themes. Except for Dreamcore, all the games in this...

Chibuike Okpara, 28 Sep 2025 03:59

A screengrab from the Forza Horizon 6 teaser trailer (image source: Forza YouTube)

Forza Horizon 6 finally heads to Japan but Microsoft says PS5 players will have to wait

PlayStation 5 players might have to wait a considerable amount of time to be able to play, unlike PC and Xbox players who will have day one access to the title.

Rahim Amir Noorali, 28 Sep 2025 03:33

Mockup of rumored new PS6 handheld (Image source: Sony PlayStation with edits)

Insider thinks new PS6 handheld price may be closer to Switch 2 console than ROG Xbox Ally

Thanks to more efficient components, the new PlayStation handheld may avoid an astronomical price tag. Perilous economic conditions threaten to make other consoles too expensive for mainstream gamers. A popular insider predicts th...

Adam Corsetti, 28 Sep 2025 03:17

The M3 MacBook Air 15 (pictured) is now on sale for its lowest-ever price at Amazon. (Image source: Notebookcheck.net)

Deal | Fully-loaded M3 Macbook Air 15 on sale for lowest price ever on Amazon

Apple's last-generation MacBook Air 15, sporting an M3 SoC alongside 24 GB of RAM and 512 GB of storage, is on sale for its lowest-ever price over at Amazon. At 35% off, going with the previous-gen Apple silicon can save buyers $3...

Sam Medley, 28 Sep 2025 01:30

GMK NucBox K12 features the Ryzen 7 H 255 (Image source: Notebookcheck)

New Ryzen 7 H 255 performs almost identically to the 3-year old Ryzen 7 7840HS

The recently released Ryzen 7 H 255 may have the naming convention of a new Zen 5 CPU, but it's an old Zen 4 processor at heart with last generation performance and features.

Allen Ngo, 28 Sep 2025 00:22

Xiaomi sells the Redmi Note 15 Pro in four colours within its home market. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G launching globally with major change from existing model

According to a new report, Xiaomi is plotting to separate the global version of the Redmi Note 15 Pro from its Chinese counterpart in at least one key area. Launching as the Redmi Note 15 Pro 5G, the device will be one of several ...

Alex Alderson, 28 Sep 2025 00:18

The ROG Zephyrus M16 2023 is one the laptops to which Asus has started rolling out a new beta BIOS update. (Image source: Notebookcheck)

Asus releases major updates to ROG gaming laptops with stuttering and performance interruption fixes

Asus has moved quickly to begin resolving ROG gaming laptop performance issues following the publication of a recent independent investigation. Starting with 2023 laptops, the list of affected units is thought to stretch from 2021...

Alex Alderson, 28 Sep 2025 00:14

The global version of the Redmi Note 15 may have an additional camera over the current Redmi Note 15, pictured. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi Redmi Note 15 to launch globally with battery capacity downgrade

Early firmware details have revealed initial information about the hardware changes that Xiaomi plans to make between the Chinese and global versions of the Redmi Note 15. From battery to camera tweaks, the global Redmi Note 15 wi...

Alex Alderson, 28 Sep 2025 00:09

The Sony Xperia 1 VII runs on Android 16. Sony promises 4 OS updates and 6 years of security patches

Unique features and a paywall: Sony Xperia 1 VII stands out from the crowd

Sony is setting priorities with its new smartphone flagship, the Xperia 1 VII. With an MSRP of almost €1500, it’s not a mainstream device, but designed for camera enthusiasts. That said, users who choose the Xperia 1 VII also have...

Manuel Masiero, 27 Sep 2025 23:14

Xiaomi is said to be restricting some HyperOS 3 features for higher-end smartphones. (Image source: Xiaomi)

No Hyper Island: Xiaomi reportedly prevents new HyperOS 3 feature from working on multiple Redmi Note smartphones

It seems that not all versions of HyperOS 3 are created equal. Based on early findings, some HyperOS 3 may not offer Xiaomi's new Hyper Island functionality on Redmi Note and cheaper models, which borrows heavily from Apple's Dyna...

Alex Alderson, 27 Sep 2025 23:09

The electric Tesla Model Y (Image source: Tesla UK)

Tesla UK revenue dropped £500 million in 2024 financial year as profits fell

Tesla’s UK division saw revenues fall by over £500 million in the 2024 financial year, with profits also declining. Despite weaker results, the company paid a dividend to its US parent and is preparing for expansion into the UK en...

David Odejide, 27 Sep 2025 22:52

Promotional poster of the anime One Punch Man, featuring Saitama, Genos, and other heroes on the right side facing off against powerful villains and monsters on the left side, with dramatic sky background. (Image source: One Punch Man)

One Punch Man season 3 all set for release as trailer nowhere to be seen

With less than two weeks until the premiere of One Punch Man Season 3, fans are growing increasingly restless over the lack of a full trailer. Despite concerns, the official Japanese site has confirmed that the new season will str...

Praneeta, 27 Sep 2025 22:41

Illuminated oil refinery at night with bright lights. (Image source: Selim Şengül via Pexels)

Gneuton's waste heat-powered water purification technology for AI data centers to come online in Q1 2026

Gneuton, a US-based company, has launched a patented thermal distillation system that repurposes waste heat from gas turbine-powered AI data centers into purified water, aiming to cut water costs and boost sustainability worldwide...

Praneeta, 27 Sep 2025 22:21

Asus ROG Xbox Ally X pre-order teaser image (Image source: screenshot, Xbox YouTube with edits)

Scalpers list ROG Xbox Ally X prices of $2500 after pre-orders for gaming handheld sell out

Some gamers scoff at the ROG Xbox Ally X price, but the Windows 11 handheld is selling out at retailers. The model with AMD Ryzen AI Z2 Extreme processor is out of stock on Asus and Microsoft stores. eBay scalpers are conducting R...

Adam Corsetti, 27 Sep 2025 21:51

The Artist Ultra 16 is a new 4K drawing tablet based on an AMOLED panel (Image source: XPPen)

XPPen Artist Ultra 16: 4K AMOLED tablet supports highly precise stylus input

The Artist Ultra 16 is a high-resolution drawing tablet that offers a sharp image quality as well as precise detection of pen pressure levels.

Silvio Werner, 27 Sep 2025 21:35

The D18 is a particularly cheap drone (Image source: PJC)

PJC D18: Budget drone launches with remote control with display and obstacle avoidance

As a new entry-level drone, the new D18 comes with two cameras as well as a controller with a built-in display. It also has obstacle avoidance, which could help prevent crashes and subsequent damage to the drone.

Silvio Werner, 27 Sep 2025 21:29

Samsung promises long-term updates for its budget smartphones. But the company also has a big loophole in sight. (Image created with ChatGPT)

Samsung's long update promise: Separating marketing from reality

Samsung also promises long-term software updates for its budget smartphones. Sounds good, there may be a catch. We take a closer look to see whether users can really expect updates until 2031.

Florian Schmitt, 27 Sep 2025 20:16

The Mercedes C-Class EQ: Spy shots of the new electric sedan - Breakthrough in design and range. (Image source: Andrei Nedelea)pdate promise is significantly limited.

Mercedes C-Class EQ: Spy shots of new electric sedan with breakthrough in design and range

Mercedes has released the first spy photos of the C-Class EQ, which is scheduled to launch at the end of 2026. The electric sedan borrows technology and batteries from the GLC EQ and promises ranges of up to 800 km thanks to its a...

Ulrich Mathey, 27 Sep 2025 20:12

Minisforum MS-S1 Max with AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 and 128 GB RAM (Image source: Notebookcheck)

Minisforum MS-S1 Max mini PC review: Performance modes compared - performance, balanced & quiet

With the MS-S1 Max, Minisforum has introduced its current top model, featuring the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395. While the mini PC significantly outperforms the competition, it exhibits weaknesses regarding noise levels. We therefore too...

Sebastian Bade, 27 Sep 2025 18:09

Secure deals early during the October 1-5 Price Protection window. (Image Source: Newegg)

Deal | Newegg's FantasTech sale kicks off October 6, here are the best deals so far

Newegg's massive FantasTech Sale II runs from October 6 to 12, featuring the retailer's biggest quarterly discounts across gaming hardware. Plus, with their innovative Price Protection program, they automatically refund customers ...

Nitisha Upadhye, 27 Sep 2025 17:03

Pictured: Melinoë casting a spell. (Image Source: Supergiant Games)

Hades II First Impressions Review: A captivating, bewitching sequel

Notebookcheck's Sasha Mathews reviews the long-anticipated sequel to Hades, following Melinoe fighting against the Titan Chronos himself in Hades II. The full 1.0 release is here as of September 25, 2025, bringing a very witchcraf...

Sasha (Tristan) Mathews, 27 Sep 2025 15:33

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is expected to miss out on one of the Xiaomi 17 Pro Max's most eye-catching features. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi 17 Ultra tipped to depart from Xiaomi 17 Pro Max in key areas with global satellite connectivity support mooted

The Xiaomi 17 Ultra is anticipated to be the highest-end model in the Xiaomi 17 series when it finally launches. While the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is tipped to bring satellite connectivity to global audiences, it could also fall short of ...

Alex Alderson, 27 Sep 2025 15:33

Beta Version 25.06 is the second v25.xx update so far for Garmin's older Forerunner smartwatches like the Forerunner 965. (Image source: Garmin)

Garmin releases new update to older mid-range smartwatches with stability and custom alerts improvements

Garmin has introduced a new update for many of its older Forerunner smartwatches. Rolling out on the company's Beta Program ahead of a future stable release, Beta Version 25.06 brings a few important changes to the table including...

Alex Alderson, 27 Sep 2025 15:32

The Poco F7, pictured, launched in June after the arrivals of the Poco F7 Pro and Poco F7 Ultra. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi Poco F8 launching globally with key hardware rumoured

The Xiaomi Poco F7 is set to receive a direct successor based on one of Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 series chipsets. Not only that, but the Xiaomi Poco F8 is set to receive dedicated global and Indian releases too.

Alex Alderson, 27 Sep 2025 15:12

The Lenovo ThinkPad P14s Gen 6 is a sleek 14-inch laptop with quick AMD CPUs and an optional 120Hz OLED display (Image source: Benjamin Herzig)

Deal | AMD-equipped Lenovo ThinkPad P14s OLED with 64GB DDR5 gets 46% price cut

The ThinkPad P14s Gen 6 originally retailed for almost $2,200, but Lenovo has once again dropped the price of the capable 14-inch workstation laptop in order to hit a new all-time low of $1,169 for a quite enticing OLED configurat...

Enrico Frahn, 27 Sep 2025 15:07

The Xiaomi 15 Ultra arrived globally a month after its initial Chinese release. (Image source: Xiaomi - edited)

Xiaomi 17 Ultra confirmed to receive global release with early launch possible

Typically, Xiaomi waits around six months before introducing its next Ultra flagship smartphone after releasing its regular and Pro models. Early information suggests that this will not be the case with the Xiaomi 17 Ultra though,...

Alex Alderson, 27 Sep 2025 14:57

The Tab KingKong S is a rugged tablet with kickstand and flashlight (Image source: Cubot)

KingKong S: Rugged Android tablet features huge 15,300mAh battery and dual-SIM 4G LTE

A "control center for outdoor adventures", this is how Cubot advertises the Tab KingKong S. It’s a particularly rugged tablet that supports two SIM cards and comes with a powerful flashlight with three settings.

Silvio Werner, 27 Sep 2025 14:38

The Xiaomi 17, Xiaomi 17 Pro Max and Xiaomi 17 Pro from left to right. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi 17: First Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 flagships break sales records after triple-threat launch

Xiaomi has just started selling the Xiaomi 17, Xiaomi 17 Pro and Xiaomi 17 Pro Max in its home market. With Xiaomi having added a third model for this generation, it now claims to have broken previous records within a mere few min...

Alex Alderson, 27 Sep 2025 14:30

Vanguard 96 Pro Hall effect gaming keyboard. (Image source: Corsair)

Corsair's Vanguard 96 series blurs the line between keyboard and stream deck

Corsair has packed a numpad, arrowkeys, F-keys, G-keys, a stream deck launch button, a rotary dial and even a mini-LCD on its new Vanguard 96 keyboards, while keeping the TKL-sized form factor. The regular Corsair Vanguard 96 goes...

Sarfo Ashong-Listowell, 27 Sep 2025 14:30

The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max already features an impressive set of rear-facing cameras. (Image source: Xiaomi)

Xiaomi 17 Ultra reveals itself months ahead of schedule with new camera hardware outlined

According to early reports, Xiaomi plans to introduce a new flagship camera sensor with the Xiaomi 17 Ultra. Joined by four other high-resolution sensors including two telephoto cameras, the new 1-inch type camer would be a replac...

Alex Alderson, 27 Sep 2025 14:24

The HMD Pulse 2 series will have a redesigned camera island. (Image source: smashx_60)

Leak reveals specs and renders of the HMD Pulse 2 and HMD Pulse 2 Plus

A leak has revealed the specs of the HMD Pulse and HMD Pulse 2+ smartphones. The source also provided renders of the two phones, providing an early look at the upcoming devices.

Habeeb Onawole, 27 Sep 2025 14:17

Asus plans to offer the ROG Raikiri II wireless controller in a single colour option. (Image source: Asus)

Asus ROG Raikiri II wireless controller rears its head before release in new pricing leak

The Asus ROG Raikiri II is a high-end wireless controller that follows both the ROG Raikiri and the ROG Raikiri Pro. Surprisingly, a new leak indicates that the ROG Raikiri II could cost even more than the ROG Raikiri Pro despite ...

Alex Alderson, 27 Sep 2025 14:16

CloverPit was released on Steam on September 26, launching with a 10% discount and currently holding 96% positive reviews. (Image source: Steam)

Steam: One-armed bandit, but deadly – new Balatro-like roguelike hits 96% positive reviews

Five reels, three rows and a pit that swallows you whole if luck is not on your side. CloverPit is a roguelike gambling game in the spirit of Balatro, but with a horror twist and a slot machine in place of the deck of cards. It ha...

Marius Müller, 27 Sep 2025 13:45

Xiaomi 17 to launch globally with significant battery upgrade on the Xiaomi 15

The Xiaomi 17 will arrive globally next year but will not do so carrying the 7,000 mAh battery it sports in China. While it'll feature a smaller battery, it will also be a healthy improvement on the 5,240 mAh unit on the global Xi...

Ricci Rox, 27 Sep 2025 12:56

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